This invention is directed to an improved kennel door apparatus, designed to fit a new or existing opening in a kennel wall. More specifically, this apparatus provides a slidable kennel door, which may be remotely controlled for selective access to and from a plurality of kennel pens to a common kennel run area. This kennel door apparatus is adapted for vertical or horizontal sliding door actuation. Most kennel walls are made of concrete or cement block construction, with openings extending through the kennel wall from each of the individual kennel pens to a common kennel run. The openings must be selectively actuated to provide safe and efficient animal control, and to selectively restrict access to the kennel run during cleaning, maintenance, etc.
The following patents are representative of the art in animal access doors:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,913 issuing to Robert Himmer on Apr. 6, 1982, discloses an automatic door for pets which slides in opposing tracts, or is hinged as shown in FIG. 5. The door may have a window inserted in the door, and the door is raised and lowered with an electric motor when a pet steps on a pressure pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,797 issuing to Robert Sronce on Jul. 5, 1988, discloses an animal door having a pliant door and a removable sliding door to seal off the pliant door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,376 issuing to June, Shrode on May 24, 1983 discloses a shower door assembly, wherein a door is manually moved horizontally by a handle to access shower handles, without opening the shower door.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,651,793 and 3,797,554 are representative of other pet door structures utilizing swinging doors.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,888,612 and 1,442,553 are representative of doors which are vertically slidable between opposing rails, which do not provide nor make obvious the use of a protective panel to prevent pets from chewing on the door or on the cable when the door is raised.
The kennel access door disclosed herein, comprises two opposing channel guide members to guide the door between opening and closing positions. The opposing channel guide members are secured to a protective panel extending above or beside the access opening to protect the sliding door and cable from being chewed by the animals when the door is opened. The protective panel further serves to position and align the opposing channel guide members for ease of installation about the kennel opening. A weather strip is secured to the panel door to reduce air flow through the kennel access door when the door is closed. A cable secured to the panel door extends through the end of the protective panel, enabling the user to selectively xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cclosexe2x80x9d the sliding door for vertical actuation. Opposing cables are secured to the sliding door for horizontal actuation. One or more pulleys may be used to route the cable to a convenient location to remotely xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d and close the panel door to selected kennel enclosures, providing individual and selective group access to common kennel areas, such as a kennel run. The kennel door apparatus disclosed herein, is preferably mechanically actuated, which enables the operator to actuate the kennel doors even when there is an electrical failure, which may occur during emergency situations, such as a kennel fire, flood, tornado, etc.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein example embodiments of the invention are selected by way of illustration and not by way of restriction.